Tibetan students at the Huangnan Number Two Nationalities Middle School who have received scholarships from the Danish Tibetan Cultural Society, Chris Chaffe and Charlotte Jefferay: July 2009

Explanatory note: The people in this area of Tibetan Qinghai are mostly farmers and herdsmen. If  there is good quality grassland, the nomads can be quite well. If they do not have enough grassland, it is very difficult and people have becoming increasingly impoverished in these areas. Farming brings in only enough to feed the family and the main source of income is finding caterpillar fungus (a medicinal herb) in the spring at altitudes above 400 meters. If it is a good year and the prices are good, then there is money but this is always unpredictable and the government is increasing restriction to the caterpillar fungus harvesting. People also get money from road and building construction earning about 40 - 50 RMB for a 9 hour working day.

ETP E students

1. Wande Tsering (Ben) 1000

Ben is 17 and comes from Shong Pong township - Nyentah Village in the high mountains. There are five people in his family - parents, two younger brothers (at school in the village).  They are all farmers with about 6 mu , one cow and one donkey. They get money from caterpillar fungus in other areas and sometimes part-time construction work. Ben's best subject is Tibetan and English is also excellent. In the future he wants to go to university and learn many languages and become a tour guide.

     
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1. Yangdrong Tso (Bulha) 600

Bulha is 17 years old and comes from Shomp Pong Shi Nyentah Village. There are 5 people in her family - parents, two sisters and her.  Both sisters are younger than Bulha and are at school. Her parents are farmers and have about 10 mu  to plant. There is one cow and a donkey. Sometimes they get work from construction sites but usually not. English and Tibetan are her favourite and best subjects and when she leaves school she hopes to go to university. Her family has a hard life and the school is helping Bulha a little with fees.

1. Dorji Tsebten (Nick) 600

Nick is 19 years old and from Tob Den. He has no parents and is cared for by his uncle. He's a worker. This is a nomadic area and his uncle has no animals. He has one brother of 28 years old and is a primary school teacher in Zeku. He helps with some money. There are two sisters - one is a nun and the other is at home with Nick and his uncle and family. Nick's best subjects are Tibetan and English and he was especially highly recommended when we went to recruit students in the Tob Den nomadic community. He hopes to be a teacher in the future.

  
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1. Yeshe Drolma (Alice) 1,000

Alice is 18 and from Kasog nomadic area about 2 hours from Rebgong. Her parents are herdsmen and her father is presently the village leader. They have 200 sheep and 10 goats. She has three sisters, (15, 16, and 20) and one brother (10). Alice's older sister is married and the others are at home helping the family. The youngest is at primary boarding school in Rebgong. Alice's English is the best and Tibetan is excellent. Geography is also good. In the future she hopes to be a singer!!

1. Gombo Tashi (Snow) 1,000

Snow is 17 and comes from Shong  Pong Xi village.  There are 7 people in the family - grandparents, great aunt, parents, two younger sisters. They are farmers with 15 mu and 4 cows and 3 donkeys and 30 sheep. Money comes from part-time construction and caterpillar fungus. Sometimes his father does some trade and business. Snow's best subjects are geography and history - also English is excellent. In the future he wants to study more languages and be a translator.

 
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1. Karma Tso (Patty) 1,000

Patty is a nomadic girl from the Hernan Plateau in Huangnan Prefecture. She is 18 years old and has no brothers or sisters. Her parents are herdsmen with about 50 yaks and 20 sheep. They live in a house in winter and a tent in summer. Her mother is sickly and has had two operations (liver, spleen, heart problems). Her father had a car accident four years ago and walks with a limp. Her uncle helps with the herding. Patty is average at studying but excellent at playing basketball and is in the Girls' Basketball Team. She hopes to be a writer in the future.

1. Wema Jip (Duke) 1,000

Duke is 17 years old and there are 7 people in his family - his grandmother (70 and a little sick), parents, older brother (herder) and sister (a student who just graduated but did not qualify for university) and a younger brother (monk). He comes from Shom Pong Xi village and his parents are both herdsmen and farmers. There are about 10 mu in fields and 30 yaks, 100 sheep, 2 donkeys.  Duke is a good actor! His English is good and his best subject is Chemistry. Math is also good. He hopes to be a Tibetan medicine doctor in the future.

 
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1. Karintso Drolma (Jennifer) 1,000

Jennifer is 17 years old and from Rebgong, Tehwe village. Her father is a vet in Haixi but her parents are divorced and he sends the family no money. Her mother is a teacher but now she is sick and can't work so she stays home and cares for the grandmother and little brother. There are two brothers, 24 and 6 years old. The little one is in school but the older brother is in Golok, Raja helping his uncle with odd jobs. The grandmother (68) is sickly and sleeps most of the day. Her best subject is Chemistry and she is good in other subjects. She is good at English. She hopes to be a doctor (Chinese medicine) to help cure sickness in the future.

1. Gehzing Je (Lina) 1,000

Lina is 17 years old and comes from Gomer village close to the town in Rebgong. Her parents are farmers and she has two brothers. One (24) is at college in Xining and the other (20) is a monk at Gomer Monastery. Lina's mother (47) has an illness (bone disease?) and can't work so her father (50) does the farming alone with the help of the children when they are there. They have five fields. Lina is the best student in English and is also good at other subjects specially Chemistry. She hopes to study Chinese medicine in the future.
                                                                                                                                                 
           
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1. Ginzing Je (Sandra) 1,000

Sandra is 17 years old and comes from Mapa Donkim about 40 minutes from Rebgong. Her parents are farmers with  6 mu and a cow and a calf.  She has one younger brother, two sisters (21 and 14). The older sister works at home and the others are students. Sometimes the family does part-time work to get money. Sandra's best subject is English and Chinese and in the future she'd like to study languages and be a translator.

1. Rinchen Tashi (Jim) 1,000

Jim is 18 years old and comes from the nomadic area of Guartse about 2 hours from Rebgong.  His parents are herdsmen and they have about 100 sheep and 8 yaks. There is only one younger brother (student) and a grandmother (72). The grassland is small. Best subjects are Chinese and Tibetan also English. In the future he'd like to work as a policeman although he'd also like to go to university and study English.

     
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1. Kamo Shem (Betty) 1,000

Betty is 18 and comes from Mapa Kajah Halong - an extremely remote and poor area high in the mountains with no electricity or road. Her parents are farmers and have some potatoes, barley and peas and have about 100 goats. There are four people in the home - parents, brother and Betty. Her brother (24) is a farmer and helps Betty's parents. He never went to school. The family relies on part-time work and finding the caterpillar fungus for extra income. Betty's best subjects are English and Tibetan and in the future she'd like to work in TV as an announcer. Betty is also part of the Girls' basketball team and is an excellent player. 

1. Baku (Michael Bob) 500

Michael Bob is 16 years old and come from Zeku Hor village on the plateau. There are his parents, and younger sister. His grandparents live in the mountain - his grandfather is a soldier. His parents are herdsmen with 20 yaks. They do part-time work for money. Best subjects are math and English and in the future he hopes to go to university to do research in science.

1. Wema Tashi (James) 500

James is 18 years old and is from Zeku nomadic area on the plateau. He has no father.  His mother has a bad heart (herdswoman) and two brothers and one sister are students. They have about 50 sheep, 30 yaks. His uncle helps with herding.  There is good grazing. Tibetan and English are his good subjects and in the future he hopes to study Tibetan medicine.

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Total: 14 students (7 girls, 7 boys)
Amount in Chinese RMB: 11,200 + 1000 (CJ)

ETP D students

1. Nedrup Dorji (Angus) 1,000

Angus is 17 and comes from Dor Nien Village in the mountains outside Rebgong. His family are farmers and he has one sister (13) at school and his grandparents stay with them. The family situation is not so good as is the situation in most of these farming villages. Angus is often first in English and good in Geography and Tibetan. He hopes to go to university to study English.

    
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1. Tsemo Jil (Rita) 1,000

Rita is 17 years old and comes from Quma village about 15 minutes drive from Rebgong. Her parents are farmers and have about three fields and a cow and a mule. She has one brother (30) and no sisters. Her brother is a thanka painter and he's married with two children. They all live together. Rita likes Tibetan and English and in the future would like to study medicine.

1. Gomstok Tsering (Allen) 1,000

Allen is 20 years old and comes from the nomadic area of Guartse - about 2 hours away. His parents are herdsmen and he has no brothers or sisters. They have 10 yaks and 80 + sheep. The grassland is good and there is enough. In the summer they live in a tent. His father is healthy but his mother is not strong or healthy (bad foot). They usually get money from caterpillar fungus but this year not because the price was very low.  Allen's best subject is Tibetan and he sings traditional Tibetan songs very very well. English is also very good and in the future he'd like to be an English teacher.

1. Tashi Gyamptso  (Cliff) 1,000

Cliff is 19 years old and comes from a village near Rebgong (Torjia). There are 9 people in his family - parents, grandparents, two brothers, sister-in-law and their two children. They are all farmers and his father is an elder in the Nyimgma Buddhist sect. The family has about 14 small fields and the family gets extra money from work on road construction and finding the caterpillar fungus. Cliff is a good actor and very good in Tibetan and dancing. He hopes to study Tibetan and English at college and maybe teach in the future.

 
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1. Sanji Shum (Jack) 1,000

Jack is 18 and comes from Ruh Tiguh - a small village about 15 minutes from Rebgong town. There are 5 people in his family - parents, older brother, older sister and Jack.  His parents are farmers with about 7 mu and two cows. The elder sister (divorced) works in town as a tailor. The brother is a university student in Xining. The family relies on caterpillar fungus for income and his mother does part-time work when she can. Jack's best subjects are Tibetan, English and Chinese. In the future he hopes to help his village and to study further - no sure yet how.

   
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1. Drikmo Kir (Lucy) 800

Lucy is 19 yeas old and comes from Shong Pong Xi Village. Her mother brings up the children alone. Her father left the family a long time ago and went to India. He sends no support. She has one older brother (21) who is a monk and two younger sisters at school. They are farmers with maybe 4 fields (4 - 6  mu) and one cow and one donkey. The family gets money from part-time work and caterpillar fungus.  Lucy is the best student in the class - in all subjects and she has received some scholarship support from the school. She is first in English. In the future she hopes to study Tibetan medicine.

1. Yungjia Tsering (Colin) 1,000

Colin is 19 years old and comes from a high mountain village called Hornig near to Rebgong. There are 6 people in his family - grandmother (84), parents and two younger sisters. They are farmers with 14 small fields and 3 animals - two mules and a cow. They get money from caterpillar fungus and doing construction work part-time. His father has liver problems.  Colin's best subject is Tibetan (his English is also very good) and he hopes to be a Tibetan medicine doctor or a translator in the future.

 
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1. Chetig (Robert) 1,000

Robert is 18 and comes from  the Zeku plateau community. He has no father and his mother takes care of the family. She is a herdswoman. There are 3 sisters and 5 brothers (9 children altogether). One brother is a monk and another is married and a herdsman. The youngest is at primary school. Two brothers are at home and help Robert's mother with herding. One sister is married and the other sisters are at home - herding. There are 50 yaks and 40 sheep but the grassland is small for so many people. No caterpillar fungus so the family lives from herding alone. Robert is excellent at Tibetan and as an orator he is always chosen to announce and read in Tibetan. He is a very hardworking helpful student and is the only one of the family to have reached senior school. In the future he'd like to be a teacher.

1. Nyingtjik Jia (Clement) 1,000

Clement is 18 years and comes from Shong Pong Xi Village. His parents are farmers and have about 8 mu and 40 sheep. He has two brothers - a younger and older. The older one is a high school student - just graduated. He will go to university. The younger brother is at middle school. His family situation is very difficult and the family has to do construction work to bring in money. There are five people in his family.  His favourite sport is basketball and he is the main organizer for the Girls Basketball Team in the school. He also likes to play football.   He is very good at Tibetan and this is his favourite subject. He is excellent in English and a born leader. In the future he'd like to study to become a teacher.    
                                     
 
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1. Sonam Huangtjik (Eric) 1,000

Eric is 20 years old and comes from a nomadic family on the plateau about 2 hours from Rebgong. There a re 11 people in his family - grandparents in their seventies, mother (no father - parents divorced), three brothers, two sisters (one is married and one was a student but failed to go to senior school) and a sister-in-law with two young children. They have about 15 yaks and 130 sheep. There is also one horse. These days herdsmen use motorbikes more than horses. In the summer the family lives in a tent but there is not a lot of grassland - as it's shared between other families. There is little spare money and apart from herding and finding caterpillar fungus, there is no salaried income. Tibetan is Eric's best subject. He is the only one in his family to study at senior school and hopes to teach in the poor rural schools in the future or go abroad and learn about the world!!

1. Kwintir Tsering (David) 1,000

David is 19 years old and comes from Nyalong Village outside Rebgong. This is mountainous village about 30 minutes by car. There are 9 people in the immediate family - parents, sister and married brother (30) and his wife but no children. His sister has two boys, and there are grandparents. They are all farmers with the usual fields of barley, potatoes, what, peas and beans, rapeseed and four donkeys and one horse. There are two yaks. The family gets money from caterpillar fungus. David's favourite subject is Tibetan and history and basketball!! In the future he'd like to be a teacher.

   
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1. Tashi Tsebten (Brad) 1,000

Brad is 20 years old and comes from Hernan nomadic area. There are five in his family - parents (his father has liver illness), older brother (25) and older married sister (22). They are all herdsmen. There are 40 yaks and 150 sheep but the grassland is not good and eaten by the little squirrel-like animal which is a pest in these areas. There is no caterpillar fungus and the family gets money only from the animals. Brad's best subjects are Tibetan and English and he is the only senior middle school student in his community. There is no school in his community. They are 160 kms from the county town. In the future Brad hopes to be a teacher. He works impressively hard and makes good progress.

1. Purwa  Dorji (Peter) 1,000

Peter is 18 years old and comes from the nomadic area of Zeku in Hor nomadic community. There are five people in his immediate family - parents, two sisters and him! His parents are herdsmen with about 50 sheep and no yaks or horses. His sisters are students - one is at university and the younger is studying in Middle school. The family gets a little money from renting out their grassland and looking for caterpillar fungus in other areas. They live in the village. Peter's mother is often ill with liver problems. Maths is Peter's best subject (this is unusual) and he hopes to study science in the future and help others who have difficulty in life.

    
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1. Gombo Tsebten (Sky) 600

Sky is 18 and is from Shong Popng Xi village. His parents are farmers and a little elderly.  There are three brothers and sisters. One brother is 15 and at school, the other is 26 (a teacher in Xining) and the other is 23 (a farmer). His sister is 22 and is married. Sky's parents have 15 mu and about 100 sheep. All farming is done by Sky's brother and parents.  Sky's best subject is biology and in the future he hopes to go to university and be a translator. His English is excellent.

1. Yundrim Shem (Susan) 600

Susan is 18 and lives in town although her family is from a mountain village. Her father is a driver in the education dept and her mother works in a restaurant as a waitress. She has one older brother and older sister. They are both at university. Her best subject is Chinese and in the future she'd like to be a tour guide.
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Total number of students: 15 (12 boys, 3 girls)
Amount in Chinese RMB: 11,200 + 1,000 +1000 (CC) + 800 (CJ)